West Ham United boss David Moyes believes centre-back Nayef Aguerd still has to adjust to English football after mistakes made during Wednesday’s 3-1 FA Cup fifth round defeat to Manchester United.
The Hammers took the lead at Old Trafford through Said Benrahma after half-time, but goals in the final 13 minutes from Aguerd (own goal), Alejandro Garnacho and Fred knocked West Ham out of the cup, with the Moroccan £30million summer signing being involved in all three.
After Aguerd inadvertently turned in a Bruno Fernandes corner for United’s leveller, it was then his block that led to Garnacho making it 2-1. He was then caught out in possession deep into stoppage time for Fred to add United’s third goal.
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Aguerd has been one of West Ham’s best players since establishing himself in the team after the 2022 World Cup, having missed almost all of the season prior to the tournament due to an ankle injury.
Moyes hopes it is just an off night for the former Stade Rennais man and has said that despite recent transfer links with Liverpool, Aguerd still must adjust to life at West Ham, despite arriving eight months ago.
“I hope so because he has been someone we really like,” said Moyes when asked if it was just an off night.
“I’ve sort of said it to my local boys, it is going to take him a bit of time to settle in to the Premier League and it is moments like that when you see level of the game, the intensity, how tough [it is] and how much pressure you are put under by good players and good teams in the Premier League.
“They are the sort of things I have been alluding to without saying it directly, which I think Nayef will have to get used to.”
Given his performances for West Ham ahead of the team’s defeat at Old Trafford, as well as starring for Morocco at the World Cup, Moyes fully backs Aguerd to use this performance for the better, long-term.
Moyes added that until his own goal levelled the tie, he thought Aguerd was having a good game.
"Yes, no doubt. I think it is a journey for him,” Moyes told football.london.
“I think if we got him right at the start of the season, I think by this time he would have been through this period but it was always going to be a little bit of a settling in period.
“He has played very well and he played very well tonight up until the last 10 minutes or so.”
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